Projectile.



` Patented Au 28, |900. c. M. RowN. g

PRoJEcTlL'E. (Application med Aug. lv, 1899.1

(no Ik VIII - :figa-:6666

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UNITED STA- Tus CHARLES M. BROWN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROJECTILE.

SPECIFICATION formingipart of Letters Patent No. 656,933, dated Augustlg, 1900. Application led August 31, 1899. Serial No. 729,081. '"(No model.)

of projectiles that are'pro'vide'd with a vane or tailpiece adapted to control the position of the projectile during its flight and compel it to travel at all times point foremost.

The object of theinvention is to provide an improved projectile of this class; and to this end theinvention consists in the features of novelty that are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, Which are made a part hereof, and in which- Figures 1 andl 2 are longitudinal sections of a projectile adapted for use in large gunsand embodying the invention, Figfl showing the.

parts in the positions which they occupy at the instant the projectile is fired, and Fig. 2 showing them in the positions which they occupy during the flight of the projectile. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the rear end of the projectile with the vane or tailpiece and its stem omitted.l Figs. 4 and 5 are longitudinal sections of a projectile adapted for use in small guns and embodying some features of the invention.

A represents the body of the projectile, which has a centrally-disposed air-passage .eX-' tending through it longitudinally from` end to end. As shown in Figs. l and 2, the body of the projectile has at its forward part a small bore a, immediately in rear of thisa larger bore a', and in rear of thisand extending to the rear end of the body a still larger bore a, the rear end of this larger bbre being closed bya screw-plug B, having oppositely-.located depressions or sockets b for receiving the spurs of a span'ner, by which it is screwed in place. In the intermediate bore a its the forward end of a tube C, the rear end of which flares and seats upon a conical portion b' of the plug B,whereby t-he tube C is centered at its rear end and held in place. rI he plug B has a centrally-disposed opening b, the forward end of which is equal in diameter to the internal diameter of the tube C, While its rear end is contracted, thereby providing a flaring or tapering shoulder or seat.

D. is an endwise-movable stem which occupies -the tube C and carries at its rear end a diskor enlargement E, which is herein called the vane or tailpiece. Whenthe projectile is in readinessior ring,the vane'or tailpiece rests against the rear end of the body portion of the projectile, as shown in Fig. `1, and in this position completely closes the air'- passage through the projectile as against the projecting pressure; but after' the projectile leaves the gun the pressureot' the air against the forward end of the stem D will retard its' vane E acts as a drag andca'uses theprojectile to travel point foremost. In order to'p'revent the stem D from being completely with# .drawn fromthe air-passage, the stem is pro videdat itsforward part with a tapering en- ATEN' FFICE.

largement,yvhich is complementary to the liar-ing shoulder or seat b, so that when the tapering portion of the stem reaches said seat .the further withdrawal ot' the stem is pre vented and thestem, by reason of the complementary tapers, is held firmly in a central positionwith relation .to the body of the projectile.

In order that the abovedescribed results maybe attained, it is necessary that for each unit of surface exposed to the pressure of thc air the vane and its stem be lighter than the body of the projectile; otherwise the vane and its stem will travel as fast as the body ofthe projectile, andin this event the parts could not assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 2. This inequality in the weight ofthe parts may be the result of making themof material 'of different specific gravity or of making them of thesame material and reducing the stern or making ithollow in rear of its forward end,'which is exposed to the pressure ofthe air. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown lthe stem as being both reduced and hollow,

while in Figs. 4 and 5 I. haveshown it as befr ing reduced exteriorly. r

In Figs. l -and 2 the stem is made slightly shorter thanthe chamber which it occupies, thereby leaving-a `slight space between the forward end of the stem and the forward eu of the chamber, towhich space the air-pressure is communicated through the restricted passage a. Inlarge projectiles I prefer to vmake the air-passage quite small'. at its forward part in order not toimpairlthe strength of the point of the projectile, and'this necessitates an enlargement of the passage in order to enable the use of a stem having at its forward end asuflicient superiicial'area for the air to act against. With this arrangement the result will of course be the same as if the air-passage ,forward of the front end'of the stem were of the same size as the stem, ex-

. cepting that the Aaction of the air upon the stem will be somewhat slower, because olV the necessityfor passing through .the restricted passage.

F is a fuse-opening formed through theA plug B and located ecceutrically with relation thereto, and e is a corresponding opening formed through the vane E. In order to maintain the perfect balance of the parts, a

short flange e' is formed around the o eninfv.

e, the weight of the metal of which the flange is formed being precisely equal to that displaced i'n order to form the opening e. This lange'is so disposed that when the vane is in place against the rear Iend of the body of the projectile the flange enters the fuse-opening. For a like reason a small quantity of metal is removed from the plugB at a point diametrically opposite the fuse-opening F, as shown at b3. This is rendered necessary'by reason of -the fact that the fuse will not weigh as much shown the stem D of the Vane as being con, siderably shorter than the body of the projectile, while in Figs. 4 and 5 it is shown as i being. about equal in length with the body.

`Its length may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as it does not exceed the length of the body of the projectile, so that it will project beyond the point of the projectile when the vane is in position against the rear end of the body of the projectile.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A projectile having a bodyv portion, a vane located in rear thereof and adapted to move relatively thereto, and a longitudinallymovable stem carrying the vane and having at its forward portion a tapering enlargement, the body of the projectile being provided with a socket occupied by the stem, the

rear portion of the socket being contracted upon a taper corresponding with that ofr the stem, whereby when the tapering surfaces are in engagement the stem will be rigidly held against lateral `movement relativelyl to the'body of the set forth. I .y

2. A projectile havingl a'body portion proprojectile, substantially ras vided with a contracted bored at the point thereof, a larger bore ct', and a still larger bore a in rear of the point, a plug closing the rear end of the bore a" havinga taperlng opening, a vtube iitting the -bore a', and ex tending through Ythe borey a, tothe plug, a vane adapted toseat against the rear end of said body portion, a longitudinally-movable stem carrying the vane and occupying the central opening of the plug B and the tube O, the forward portion of thestem being provided with a tapering enlargement adapted to engage the seat 'formed by the tapering opening of the plug, substantially as set forth. 3. A.,projectile having a body portion provided with a charge-chamber, a plug closing the rear end of said chamber and having a fuse-opening disposed eccentricallywithre- .l

lation thereto, a vane adapted to seat against the rear end of the body portion and adapted also to move away therefrom, said vane having an leccentrically-located opening correspondingwith the fuse-opening, and means for limiting the movement of the vane away from 'the rear endofthe project-ile, the vane4 being balanced, substantially as set forth.

4. A projectile having a body portion'provided with a charge-chamber, and a fuseopening located at the rear end of the body ICO portion and to one side of the center thereof,` l

a vane consisting of a disk adapted to seat against and practically cover the' rear end of the body portion and adapted also to move` away therefrom, said vane having an opening corresponding with the fuse-opening, and a flange surroundingsaid opening and adapted to enter the fuse-opening, said flange being ofthe sameweight as the metal displaced IIC to form the opening which it surrounds, and

means for limiting the movement of the vane away from the rear end of the projectile, substantially as set forth.

5. A projectile having a body portion pro- `vided with a charge-chamber, and a plug closing the rear end of said chamber and havinga fuse-opening, a portion of the metal ofV the plug being removed at a point diametrically opposite the fuse-opening for the purpose of balancing the plug, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES M. BROWN.

Witnesses:

L. M. HOPKINS, B. C. SIMS. 

